Video guestbooks come in three flavors: guests record on their own phones, guests line up at one shared iPad or kiosk, or a crew films messages for you. Here's where each one fits.
| VideoWishes | wedwi.com | videoguestbookapp.com | Crew / kiosk rental | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | FREEfor a limited time | $49one-time | $250flat, incl. an edit | $1,490–$5,000+per event |
| Guest's device | Their own phone | Their own phone | Host's iPad or iPhone, one shared station | On-site crew or a rented kiosk |
| Ways to join | QR code, text link, or email link | QR code | QR code, at the one station | In person only |
| App required | No | No | Yes — installed and locked into kiosk mode | No app, but a crew or kiosk has to be on-site |
| Works for | Any event — weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, bar and bat mitzvahs | Mostly wedding-branded | Mostly wedding-branded | Mostly wedding-branded |
| Setup | About 10 minutes, nothing to buy | Similar, nothing to buy | Buy or borrow an iPad, mount it, light it, sign it | Book a crew or reserve a kiosk in advance |
Competitor prices and features as listed on their websites when checked in mid-2026 — they may have changed.
Best when you want messages from as many people as possible with nothing to set up. Everyone can record at once — at their table, outside, or the next morning from a text link — so no one waits in line and nobody has to staff a station.
A familiar photo-booth feel, and some options include an edited video. The trade-off: you buy or borrow the device, set up a stand and lighting, and guests queue for a single screen — so you'll usually hear from fewer people.
The most polished result, with someone on-site prompting guests and a professional edit afterwards. It's also the most expensive by a wide margin and needs to be booked in advance.
An iPad video guestbook runs on one shared device at a station, so guests line up and someone has to set it up, light it, and keep an eye on it. A phone-based guestbook like VideoWishes lets every guest record on their own phone from a QR code, text link, or email link, so there's no hardware and no line.
Yes — it's free for a limited time while we launch. There's nothing to buy or rent.
No. The recording page opens in the phone's web browser. Some iPad-based options require the host to install an app and lock the device into kiosk mode; VideoWishes doesn't.
Not yet. You get every clip, named and dated, and can download them all. An automatic highlight reel is on the way. If you need a professionally edited film today, a crew or full-service option is the better fit.
print it on the placard, text it, email it, say it in the toast